Known For
Acting
Known Credits
139
Gender
Female
Birthday
September 14, 1960 (65 years old)
Place of Birth
Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Melissa Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in 1985, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Ingenue/Woman in the Drama Series “All My Children”. Her most notable role as was as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on “Homicide: Life on the Street” for the show's first five seasons from 1993–1997.
Following several films, Leo received critical acclaim and national attention in earning several nominations and awards, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Leo earned several awards for her role as Alice Ward in the critically acclaimed film, “The Fighter” (2010). For this role Leo won the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Leo currently appears on the television series Treme.
Leo currently resides in Stone Ridge, New York and two sons John Matthew Heard (born 1987), and Adam (adopted - born 1984).
| 2026 | Passengeras Diana | |
| 2025 | The Knifeas Detective Carlsen | |
| 2025 | Guns Upas Michael Temple | |
| 2025 | King Ivoryas Ginger Greene | |
| 2024 | AFTER: Poetry Destroys Silenceas | |
| 2024 | The Clean Up Crewas Siobhan | |
| 2024 | Long Gone Heroesas Olivia | |
| 2023 | The Equalizer 3as Susan Plummer | |
| 2022 | Bonnieas Self | |
| 2022 | Janeas Principal Rhodes | |
| 2022 | Alone Togetheras Deborah | |
| 2022 | Coastas Olivia | |
| 2022 | Measure of Revengeas Lillian | |
| 2021 | Ida Redas Ida ‘Red’ Walker | |
| 2021 | Thunder Forceas Allie | |
| 2021 | Body Brokersas Dr. White | |
| 2020 | I Know This Much Is Trueas Concettina Ipolita Tempesta 'Ma' Birdsey | |
| 2019 | Dolly Parton's Heartstringsas Amelia Meegers | |
| 2018 | Unlovableas Maddie | |
| 2018 | The Equalizer 2as Susan Plummer | |
| 2018 | The Parting Glassas Al | |
| 2018 | Mabel, Mabel Tiger Traineras Narrator | |
| 2018 | Furloughas Joan Anderson | |
| 2018 | The Ashramas Chandra | |
| 2017 | The View from Up Hereas Claire | |
| 2017 | Novitiateas Reverend Mother | |
| 2017 | I'm Dying Up Hereas Goldie | |
| 2017 | The Most Hated Woman in Americaas Madalyn Murray O'Hair | |
| 2016 | Snowdenas Laura Poitras | |
| 2016 | All the Wayas Lady Bird Johnson | |
| 2016 | Burn Countryas Gloria | |
| 2016 | London Has Fallenas Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan | |
| 2015 | The Big Shortas Georgia Hale | |
| 2015 | Damnation: The Flashbackas Noda Marra | |
| 2015 | After the Spillas Narrator | |
| 2015 | The Butterfly, The Harp, and The Timepieceas Papillon | |
| 2015 | Wayward Pinesas Nurse Pam | |
| 2015 | She's The Best Thing in Itas Self | |
| 2015 | The Ever Afteras Penny | |
| 2014 | The Equalizeras Susan Plummer | |
| 2014 | BoJack Horsemanas Ma Nguyen (voice) | |
| 2014 | The Angriest Man in Brooklynas Bette Altmann | |
| 2014 | Dwegons and Leprechaunsas Grandma Fitz / Butterfly McDweg / Mrs. Fitzgerald | |
| 2014 | Broad Cityas Lori | |
| 2013 | Prisonersas Holly Jones | |
| 2013 | The Arsenio Hall Showas Self | |
| 2013 | Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedyas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 2013 | Call Me Crazy: A Five Filmas Robin | |
| 2013 | Bottled Upas Fay | |
| 2013 | Oblivionas Sally | |
| 2013 | Olympus Has Fallenas Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan | |
| 2013 | Charlie Countrymanas Kate | |
| 2012 | Francineas Francine | |
| 2012 | Why Stop Now?as Penny | |
| 2012 | Flightas Ellen Block | |
| 2011 | The Space Betweenas Montine | |
| 2011 | Seven Days in Utopiaas Lily | |
| 2011 | Red Stateas Sara | |
| 2011 | The Sea Is All I Knowas Sara | |
| 2011 | Mildred Pierceas Lucy Gessler | |
| 2010 | The Fighteras Alice Ward | |
| 2010 | Queen of the Lotas Aunt Bee | |
| 2010 | Welcome to the Rileysas Lois Riley | |
| 2010 | Convictionas Nancy Taylor | |
| 2010 | The Dry Landas Martha | |
| 2010 | Tremeas Toni Bernette | |
| 2009 | Everybody's Fineas Colleen | |
| 2009 | According to Gretaas Karen | |
| 2009 | Dear Lemon Limaas Mrs. Howard | |
| 2009 | Veronika Decides to Dieas Mari | |
| 2009 | Don McKayas Marie | |
| 2009 | True Adolescentsas Sharon Mitchell | |
| 2009 | Stephanie's Imageas Stephanie | |
| 2008 | The Alphabet Killeras Kathy Walsh | |
| 2008 | Righteous Killas Cheryl | |
| 2008 | Frozen Riveras Ray Eddy | |
| 2008 | Santa Mesaas Maggie | |
| 2008 | Lullabyas Stephanie | |
| 2007 | Black Irishas Margaret McKay | |
| 2007 | Mr. Woodcockas Sally Jansen | |
| 2007 | Racing Daylightas Sadie / Anna | |
| 2007 | I Believe in Americaas Soto | |
| 2007 | Hollywood Dreamsas Aunt Bee | |
| 2007 | The Cake Eatersas Ceci Kimbrough | |
| 2007 | Dear Lemon Limaas Mrs. Howard | |
| 2007 | Stephanie Daleyas Miri Daley | |
| 2007 | Midnight Sonas Rita | |
| 2007 | Bombas | |
| 2007 | One Nightas Wendy | |
| 2006 | The House Is Burningas Mrs. Miller | |
| 2006 | Sharkas Elizabeth Rourke | |
| 2006 | The Limbo Roomas KC Collins | |
| 2005 | The Three Burials of Melquiades Estradaas Rachel | |
| 2005 | Confessas Agnes Lessor | |
| 2005 | Criminal Mindsas Sheriff Georgia Davis | |
| 2005 | American Gunas Louise | |
| 2005 | Runawayas Lisa Adler | |
| 2005 | Hide and Seekas Laura | |
| 2004 | From Other Worldsas Miriam | |
| 2004 | Veronica Marsas Julia Smith | |
| 2004 | The L Wordas Winnie Mann | |
| 2003 | 21 Gramsas Marianne Jordan | |
| 2003 | Cold Caseas Tayna Raymes (1994 & 2007) | |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Criminal Intentas Maureen Curtis | |
| 2000 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigationas Sybil Perez | |
| 2000 | Fear of Fictionas Sigrid Anderssen | |
| 2000 | Homicide: The Movieas Kay Howard | |
| 1999 | Code of Ethicsas Jo DeAngelo | |
| 1999 | The 24 Hour Womanas Dr. Suzanne Pincus | |
| 1998 | Legacyas | |
| 1997 | Who Is Henry Jaglom?as Self | |
| 1995 | Last Summer in the Hamptonsas Trish Axelrod | |
| 1995 | In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justiceas Carol Manning | |
| 1995 | Gardenas Elizabeth | |
| 1994 | Scarlettas Suellen O'Hara Benteen | |
| 1993 | The Ballad of Little Joas Beatrice Grey | |
| 1993 | Homicide: Life on the Streetas Kay Howard | |
| 1992 | By a Threadas Helen | |
| 1992 | Immaculate Conceptionas Hannah | |
| 1992 | Venice/Veniceas Peggy | |
| 1991 | Carolina Skeletonsas Cassie | |
| 1990 | The Bride in Blackas Mary Margaret | |
| 1990 | Law & Orderas Defense Attorney Alice Sutton | |
| 1990 | Law & Orderas Donna Cheponis | |
| 1990 | Law & Orderas Sherri Quinn | |
| 1989 | Nasty Boysas Katie Morrissey | |
| 1989 | The Young Ridersas Emma Shannon | |
| 1988 | A Time of Destinyas Josie Larraneta | |
| 1986 | Deadtime Storiesas Judith 'MaMa' Baer | |
| 1985 | Silent Witnessas Patti Mullen | |
| 1985 | Always … But Not Foreveras Peggy | |
| 1985 | Streetwalkin'as Cookie | |
| 1985 | Spenser: For Hireas | |
| 1985 | The Equalizeras Irina Dzershinsky | |
| 1984 | Miami Viceas Kathleen Gilfords | |
| 1984 | I'm Only There...as Maggie | |
| The Rooster Princeas Elaine | ||
| The Mannequinas | ||
| Ron Foreveras Hilda |
| 2018 | Furlough...Producer | |
| 2013 | Bottled Up...Producer |
